The BJP central leadership yesterday extended full support to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh for the Monday directive on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and rejected former chief minister Mayawatis contention that the action would hurt Dalits.
Some BJP leaders, however, privately held that Singh should have consulted Mayawati before issuing the directive to officials to avoid controversy. The directive asks officials to ensure that the act is not misused.
Senior BJP leaderr Atal Behari Vajpayee told newsmen there was nothing wrong in Singhs action. There were complaints about the acts misuse and trying to check its misuse is not wrong, he added.
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There were complaints that forward caste people were arbitrarily arrested under the act for allegedly committing atrocities on Dalits. The act provides for the arrest of person on the basis of an allegation.
Party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said Singh was in fact trying to carry forward Mayawatis agenda. She recalled that Mayawati had herself admitted to the acts misuse and wanted it to be checked, in her budget speech in the state assembly. The Governors address had also referred to this, she said.
Swaraj said Singh would shortly hold a meeting with Mayawati to resolve the issue. There was a communication gap that created the problem, she explained, while defending Singhs action.
The BJP would take up the non-implementation of the SC\ST Act more seriously than its misuse, she claimed. If there are any complaints from Mayawati or her supporters on its non-implementation, they would be taken up seriously by Singh, she assured.
Some party leaders privately expressed satisfaction with Singhs handling of the sensitive issue. Singh had objected to the misuse of the act and had demanded its repeal when Mayawati was chief minister. However, his hands were tight due to senior BJP leaders assurance to BSP supremo Kanshi Ram that the party would not take any step that would be construed as anti-Dalit.
Singh has demonstrated political maturity by sending across the message that the BJP would not allow the forward caste votes to shift to Mulayam Singh Yadav, a BJP leader said. It was speculated that the forward castes would shift to Yadav because of his promise to scrap the act.